Gujarat won the Ranji Trophy for the 1st time in their history courtesy of a brilliant performance from their captain Parthiv Patel. He was not overawed by the occasion and played a resourceful innings to take Gujarat to victory. Overall, in this Ranji season, lot of our players played crucial roles to take their respective teams to victory.

Here we recap 5 of the most memorable performances.

Parthiv Patel, 143 in 196 balls in the 2nd innings for Gujarat vs Mumbai, Final, 10th-14th January 2017, Indore.

It doesn’t get any bigger than the final of the Ranji Trophy and the pocket dynamo showed that he relishes the big occasion with an innings that will go down in Ranji Trophy folk’s lore. Parthiv came to the crease with the score on 51/2. If he had fallen cheaply then that would have been the end of Gujarat’s hopes of clinching their maiden title. However, he played an attacking innings with a dazzling array of strokes to take his team to within striking distance of victory. Big game players are those who perform on the big stage and on most crucial occasions. He scored 143 off just 196 balls, with 24 fours. His was a captain’s innings and he showed that he had a sense of the big occasion.

Siddhesh Lad, 110 in 205 balls in the first innings for Mumbai vs Hyderabad, Quarter-final, 23rd-27th December 2016, Raipur.

Mumbai were batting first and they were reeling at 34/4 when Siddhesh Lad walked to the crease. Another quick wicket would have meant that they were in serious danger of being bowled out for a paltry score. They would then have to play catch up for the rest of the match. However, Lad came to the party and his century rescued Mumbai from a precarious position. Lad was involved in a partnership of 105 for the 5th wicket with the skipper, Aditya Tare and a partnership of 125 for the 6th wicket with Abhishek Nayar. He showed the value of playing each ball on its merit and his century ensured that Mumbai posted 294. Lad’s century was invaluable as Mumbai won by just 30 runs.

Jasprit Bumrah, 6/29 in the 2nd innings for Gujarat vs Jharkhand, Semi-final, 01st- 05th January 2017, Nagpur.

Jharkhand had taken a valuable first innings lead of 18 which meant that Gujarat had to win the match in order to qualify for the Final. Gujarat were defending a total of just 234 and the game was in the balance. Normally, in India the wickets do not provide much assistance for the seamers but Bumrah broke the back of the Jharkhand batting with an inspired spell of fast bowling. In his short international career, he has already made a mark in the shorter formats, but this spell showed that he is capable in the 5 day format as well. Jharkhand were reduced to 72/8 and were finally bowled out for 111 off just 41 overs. Gujarat won by a comfortable margin of 123 runs which looked unlikely at the start of Jharkhand’s innings. While Parthiv’s knock won Gujarat the Final, Bumrah’s spell was instrumental in getting them into the Final.

Vinay Kumar, 4/28 and 5/54 for Karnataka vs Rajasthan, 13th to 16th November 2016, Vizianagaram

Vinay Kumar is known for his ability of swinging the ball, he can be very devastating in conditions which favour swing. His spells of 4/28 and 5/54 in the match meant that Karnataka won by a mammoth margin of 393 runs. It is always good for a team’s confidence when they win outright, rather than relying on points for first innings lead. It gives the team self-belief and makes them realise that they are a force to contend with. Vinay took 9 wickets in just 26 overs in the match and this showed just how lethal he was. A swing bowler is invaluable in any side as he takes the pitch out of the equation. To take a wicket in less than every 3 overs shows how unplayable Vinay is on his day.

Nitish Rana, 146 in 222 balls for Delhi vs Assam, 6th to 9th October 2016, Vadodara

A good start is half the battle won. It was the first round of matches in the Ranji Trophy and Nitish ensured that Delhi hit the ground running. Assam were bowled out for just 193 and Nitish’s knock ensured that they posted a commanding total of 589/8 dec. This batted Assam out of the contest and ensured that victory for Delhi was just a formality. Nitish scored 146 in just 222 balls with 19 fours and a six. His knock totally demoralised Assam and Delhi emerged victorious by an innings and 83 runs.

Most of our players turned in outstanding performances in the Ranji Trophy and this augurs well for the IPL.